Trainspotting Days

Yesterday I indulged and in a spate of 'ego publishing' recounted how I became involved with the WSR. What I missed out was the significant part that Castle Cary station played in that. I was born and brought up in Castle Cary and so spent many many hours hanging around the station trainspotting. This is how I remember it, this view taken from the footbridge.

The highlight of the day was the arrival of the up mid-morning Weymouth to Bristol train. I seem to remember that this arrived at 1117 and was locomotive hauled, as opposed to the usual multiple unit trains. It quite often has a class 46 peak or later a class 33 engine at the head and was often an opportunity for a 'cab' - providing the driver was in a good mood. Those days no longer exist. The station was remodelled in the mid 1980s and the downside building was demolished and replaced with a bus shelter. Although the station now has three platforms, I regret the loss of that building.

It is rather odd, that even today, if I glimpse at the clock at it is reading 1117 I am immediately transported back to the late 1970s and those stopping trains. Really odd that.

Here are Many more pictures of the station and the branch line to Weymouth.